Feb 07, 2011 Making Disciples: Our Mission
Originally posted on October 22, 2005
Changing locations should not change our mission. When Grace moves, let’s not forget to bring Christ’s command to make disciples with us.
Jesus told us that a disciple is someone who confesses Him as Lord and identifies with Him through baptism. A disciple is also taught to obey the words of Jesus. This is the most basic definition of a disciple found in the Bible (Matthew 28:19-20).
What’s interesting about Jesus’ definition of a disciple is that He gave it in the context of the command to make disciples. The definition clarifies the mission. Jesus said, “go make disciples”, and then He defined a disciple so we would make sure to do it.
Years ago churches got on the “mission statement” bandwagon. Writing our mission statement does help us focus on the main thing. The problem is that some churches forgot that Jesus already gave us our mission, and that our mission statement is simply to explain how we are going to carry out His mission in our context. For the church, which belongs to Christ, the mission is always to make disciples.
Schools educate people. Gyms strengthen people. Hospitals heal people. Restaurants feed people. Theaters entertain people. For each to do so is to stay true to a mission.
What about the church? According to Jesus, churches disciple people. The mission of Grace Community Church is to make disciples of the people who come to our church and to launch those disciples into our city and our world to pray, love, serve, and speak in ways that will lead to others coming to faith in Christ and becoming His followers.
God has given Grace a beautiful and useful property and building. Let’s move in on October 30 with a commitment to His disciple-making mission.
Pastor Scott